Dickinson project will turn waste into electricity

• Scott LaMar/WITF
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  Scott LaMar has worked in both radio and television for more than four decades.
  
  Currently, LaMar is the Host and Executive Producer of The Spark program on WITF-FM, 89.5 & 93.3 in Harrisburg, Pa.
  
  Previously, LaMar was WITF TV’s Sr. Public Affairs producer and produced the station’s award-winning weekly public affairs TV program, Smart Talk.
  
  In addition to his on-air duties, LaMar has moderated political candidate debates, including those for candidates running for Pennsylvania governor and the U.S. Senate and was a regular contributor to BBC World News TV before and after the 2020 U.S. Presidential election.
  
  LaMar often emcees or moderates local events and has gone as far as California to emcee a national event.
  
  The American Society of Civil Engineers honored LaMar with their national Excellence in Journalism award in 2020. He has been nominated for five Mid-Atlantic Emmy Awards.
  
  LaMar and The Spark have been recognized throughout the Central Pennsylvania community including ADVOZ Lancaster’s “Dignity in Dialogue Award”, the South-Central Assembly’s “Regional Citizen Award” and was named a “Humanitarian Hero” by The Humane Society of the United States/Pennsylvania.
  
  A native of Coatesville, Pa., LaMar has also worked as a broadcast news anchor, sports play-by-play announcer and manager.

Organic waste - putrescent vegetables and fruits

Airdate: July 27, 2022

Dickinson College has been a leader in Central Pennsylvania and on college campuses of pursuing and implementing environmentally sustainable practices.

Dickinson’s latest project involves turning cow manure and food waste into bio gas to generate electricity. Groundbreaking for the project is expected this fall and the finished product could be ready to operate by the summer of 2023.

That’s according to Matt Steiman, the energy and livestock projects manager at Dickinson, who appeared on Tuesday’s Smart Talk.

The manure will come from two farms the college owns in South Middleton Township in Cumberland County. Those farms produce organic vegetables and livestock with the food going back to the Carlisle community. Two tons of food waste generated by the college and other partners — some that haven’t been found yet — is needed to go into the bio-digester every day.

If all goes as planned, Steiman said the bio-digester could generate 200,000 to 300,000 kilowatts of electricity each year. That would power the college farms along with a farm lab education building. Surplus electricity could be sold to a local utility.